She glanced at my wet shirt, winced sympathetically, then back to Levi. “Rescuing damsels or just their caffeine?”
“Mostly her caffeine,” he said with a crooked smile. “The damsel is still as stubborn as ever.” He took the cup Violet slid across the counter and handed it to me with a look that said I’d better take it or he’d put up a fight.
I took it. I didn’t have to test the theory. I knew I needed it. “Thank you,” I murmured.
Harper waggled her brows. “Still on for knit night? Auntie Eileen started a potholder for you to practice on.”
Levi bit back a smile. “You still pretending it’s about yarn and not gossip?”
“It’s community service,” Harper said solemnly. “We keep the town informed.”
I couldn’t take any more. “Don’t you have a fire to put out?”
His radio crackled before he could answer. Structure fire. Pine and Fourth. His posture shifted instantly to focused.
He paused at the door, glanced back.
“Be careful,” I said. The words slipped out before my pride could stop them.
He nodded, lips tilting. “Always.”
The bell chimed behind him.
Harper pulled me to a table. “You okay?”
“Totally,” I lied, and swallowed a sip of coffee.
“Uh-huh.” She rolled her eyes in exasperation. “Becca, come on.”
“What?”
“The menu board. The cinnamon rolls? Cross your freaking heart?” Her voice was gentle, teasing, and not. “You’re fine? Did you talk to him about—?” She knew everything, as a best friend should. Also, because she was there and saw the whole thing.
“No,” I shushed her, waving my hand around maniacally. “I can’t.”
Her eyes went wide. “Youstillhaven’t?”
“Still haven’t what?” Bella piped up, plopping her backpack onto the chair beside me.
“Nothing,” I muttered, mortified.
Harper leaned in. “Two months ago. Holloway’s parking lot. He was drunk, looked at you like you were the only person in the world, dropped to one knee?—”
“Stop,” I groaned, face in hands. “You just said it. He was drunk. He didn’t mean it. He doesn’t even remember.”
Harper shook her head. “You’re the only one pretending that. Bella and I saw his face. He remembers, Becca. Every word he said that night. I know it.”
“It was gross,” Bella confirmed. “But also nice, like inCinderella. You should just say yes already.”
My head snapped up. “Why?”
“He’s nicer than Travis. And I want to be a flower girl. Can I?”
Heat flooded my cheeks all over again, and Harper bit back a laugh. “Out of the mouths of babes,” she said.
“Whenever I get married,” I told Bella, “notsoon, andnotto Levi, then yes, you may be my flower girl. Obviously.” I hugged my coffee like it held the last shred of dignity I had left, because I was beginning to think that it did.
Chapter 2
